Coffee Or Tea?
by Kisatine
Summary: AUish. Shounen-Ai/Slash. EikexHomunculus. Sharing cups of coffee and tea with a non-human creature doesn't surprise Eike as much as the flashbacks he begins to have about this 'Homunculus', especially since he's kissing him in most of them!
1. Chapter 1

Author Notes: Um.. Hello! -bows- I hope you enjoy this, the story is shounen-ai/slash EikexHomunculus so if anyone doesn't like that then they can use the back button. Oh, and present time is written in Eike P.O.V while flashbacks are in third person. I hope you enjoy this..

Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow of Destiny/Memories. I'd just be happy with a Homunculus plushie.

Prologue - Red Eyes...

England - Day: Unknown, Year: Unknown, Time: For the third time! It's unknown.

I stared down into my reflection - it had been several years since I woke up in this town alone and memory less - nothing concerning my appearance had changed since those many summers and winters. I still looked like someone in their late twenties, not a single grey hair to mix with the blonde or a wrinkle nearby my eyes.

Why?

What being has decided to torment me with this void of unknowing? To leave me without my past and age, is it watching me? Seeing my life as some sort of television show to laugh at?!

My foot came down into the puddle, breaking the image into a dozen different Eikes. At least I know my name, perhaps I can find my old life through it, there can't be that many Eikes in England, can there?

The café in front of me beckons its customers inside and out of the rain with a warm, welcoming light, I should know that it works, already the urge to sit down and have a cup of something has come upon me. I have at least enough money for one thing.

_Ding!_

A young girl is sitting at the counter, charcoal hair pulled up in two tight ponytails, she looks harassed and ready to spray weed killer into the cakes. She forced a cheerful smile onto her freckled face and bowed her head.

"What do you want to order?" The girl's voice was loud and clear above the hubbub of the customers, every single table was full, am I going to have to stand outside of the rain while I have my drink? Oh well….

"I'll have a cup of tea, please." She nodded and got to work, humming a sad tune. My eyes scanned the crowded room, taking in each person's appearance. Most of the people in here were business men and women taking a short tea break while a few school children sat around one table, trading flashy cards among their hot chocolate's steamy air. There was one person that caught my attention the most, a man who looked as if he had barely left adolescence sat in the far corner, a pair of sunglasses - who wears sunglasses when it's raining? - perched on his porcelain nose, a large black cap rested on his head, concealing the colour of his hair. It wasn't his clothing or features that drew me in but the very air around him, the stranger had an aura of intrigue and danger floating above and around.

"Here's your tea!"

"Ah, thank you." I picked up the take-away drink, wincing at the sudden burning feeling against my hand. Moving the cup backwards and forth between my hands, I moved towards the entrance, dodging the tables and chairs.

"Would you like to sit down with me?" The voice! It didn't sound human! The man I had been staring at earlier was standing on tiptoes next to me, whispering the words down my ear, his gloved hands wrapped around my own. Before I could move away and run out the door, I was forced into a chair at the corner table. The strange creature sat down next to me, blowing on his own cup of tea, the smell of strawberries rose up in the steam. Up close I could see that the weird man was actually quite feminine, in an anime or manga way.

"What is your name?" Still the unearthly, echoing voice, I swallowed. Perhaps this demon - or whatever it was - wanted some company instead of my soul?

"Eike. Eike Kusch."

"Well, Eike. My name is Homunculus, not that there's much in a name." The hat he was wearing flopped down slightly and he pushed it back up with a long dainty finger, I didn't respond to his strange sentence and he frowned slightly, moving his face away to take a delicate sip of his drink.

"Does the name not seem familiar to you?"

"N-No, should it?" Homunculus sighed and ran his finger around the edges of the cup, not reacting at all to the hot ceramic.

"Oh dear… This isn't good at all, I've been looking for you all this time and now… I'll just have to use what I have." He turned to face me again and pulled off the sunglasses.

"Now do you remember?"

A pair of luminous amber red eyes that were almost glittered like a jewel stared at me, he was going to steal my soul! Or eat me!

"I'm sorry, I have to g- oh!" While I was escaping, my foot became twisted up in the chair's legs and pulled me and the table down, tea stained the floor.

"Hmm- what the-? S-Sir!? Are you alright?!" The girl at the counter appeared at my side, a wet mop held high above her head for some reason, then Homunculus loomed over me, sarcasm dripping from his muttered words.

"Oh Eikey, Eikey. You poor thing."

******

_Their mouths brushed together for the last time, but still the electricity that had brought them together raced through both of their bodies at the mere brush of their lips against each others. Eike wrapped his arms softly around his little demon, holding back tears. Homunculus moved a few millimetres away, even that short distance was too far._

"_I'll find you again. I promise, Eike." They kissed again, the smaller of the two holding on to Eike's green jacket to keep himself steady as a single tear dripped down his cracked face, the stone's life force dripping down with the tear._

_End Prologue._


	2. Icecream

Author Notes: Thank you for reading this and thanks for the review. There are some spoilers to the game and this story can follow any of the endings except for ending A. Present time in Eike P.O.V and flashbacks in third person.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow of Memories/Destiny.

Chapter 1 - Ice-Cream.

Where am I? I opened my eyes to see whose bed I was lying on, but to my surprise I found I was in my own simple bedroom. Nothing was different about it, the lime green walls were still a disgusting colour, my floor was overrun with books and magazines. But who had brought me back here? I hope it wasn't that creepy guy, although he looked too weak to even carry a cat let alone a person. Unless of course all of last night was a dream…

"But I still have the bump on my head, it couldn't have been a dream if I still have the wounds to prove it."

I sat up and pulled the covers off myself, stumbling out of bed, taking a quick look at my watch and cursing inside my head. Never mind a red-eyed weirdo, it's almost time to go to work! I'll think about what happened yesterday when I've made certain my Boss won't kill me for being late again.

Fifteen minutes and a quick clothes change later…

It's quite a different day to yesterday, the birds have quietened down, no one tried to grab me on the bus and the sun is up once again! Such a pity my Boss's smile hasn't returned. He's normally a cheerful guy at this time of the week - other times he locks himself inside his office doing who knows what and only coming out to yell at a late worker - but today he's nursing several coffee cups, cigarette ash falling like snowflakes onto my desk.

"Kusch." And weather reports have now confirmed that the area 'Eike's desk' shall now be a dangerous ash-snow area, we suggest you stay inside and close your windows.

"Yes, sir?"

"Just what exactly were you doing in the café?" …eh?

"What do you mean, sir?" He's acting weird, now he actually looks embarrassed as if he doesn't want to say the next senten-

"Are you on drugs?"

"What!? No of course not!" Why would he think I'm taking suspicious things? If he wants to ask that question then he should go to Trelweger's office and talk to him.

"I was in the café down the road and you were acting… strange to be precise and -"

A slim pale hand tapped the Boss's shoulder and he turned around, stopping our conversation for the moment (thanks goodness). One of the secretaries, a woman around the age of twenty was the cause of my momentary escape, she wore a female business suit and kept her brown hair in a neat bun which looked as if she never let her hair out of it. The woman - I can never remember her name - stared up at our Boss and held a file out.

"Sir, we've received an order from one of the higher ups asking us to-"

"Alright. Give me a few minutes." He turned back to me, the file now clasped in his sweaty palms. "I'll get back to you later, Kusch. If I catch you acting like that in public again it'll be your job on the line."

"Okay." He glared at me. "I mean - yes, sir!" The two walked away, the woman giving me a quick thumbs up. I'll have to leave some kind of thank you gift at her desk next time I see her or at least try to remember her name. But back to work. I turned towards the computer, typing in my username and password. Ah, email, my one and only love. Not only can you talk to someone on the other side of the world, you can find out whatever you need to on the internet as well. I'm a journalist so being glued to the internet looking for new leads is the norm in this place, but right now I've been forced onto proofread duty, the others are too lazy to even bother checking their own work so I'm forced to do it until I find a new article to write. So far my search has come up with: nothing.

"KUSCH!" Not again.. I scuttle over to the Boss's office, head bowed down to seem demure. I can hear the teasing tones of the others as I pass their rooms. Gossiping about whether or not I'll be fired. I knock on the door and open it, ready to fling myself out before he has a chance to throw something at me. A cigar is now clamped in side his mouth, creating a noxious smoke that makes me want to reach into my own pockets and pull out the hardly opened packet of cigs, but I shouldn't, I've tried so hard to quit. He doesn't look too annoyed, perhaps - this is wishful thinking though - whatever he's going to say isn't bad. Please, please -

"You've been promoted." Holy -

"The higher ups have decided to put you back onto Journalist duty as well as allowing you to leave to research new things whenever you want." Yes! Yes! Hell yeah! Buh-bye reading the others articles for hardly any cash! Hello freedom to track down UFOs and I'll get my camera back! "I'll see you later then, sir."

"H-Hey, wait!"

The sun is still up, I now have the chance to walk into the park and take photos with my relinquished camera and I've already found something to investigate. The café I went to last night is opposite to a closed store that people suspect are haunted, on the forums they say a ball flies around in the middle of the room but it's most likely fake. If there are children sneaking in and rigging it up I'll find out who they are and take a snapshot.

"Welcome to Café Yon. What do you wish to order?" The female waitress last night has now been replaced with a man who looks similar to the girl, but he looks more docile and non-violent.

"A cup of coffee please." For now I'll wait inside the café until the clock reaches four, that's the time the so-called 'floating ball' appears. My eyes scan the corner chair but it's so dark I can't see if there is anyone there, even though it's still daytime and it looked much brighter last night, I can barely see if there is even a table in those shadows, strange… I take my coffee and move to the café window, blowing on it to cool the liquid down. Minutes pass with me sitting here with my date the coffee cup when the chair next to me is pulled back, a bowl of ice-cream placed next to my drink.

"Uh…" I look up to see who has decided to give me company and I freeze up. It's Homunculus. The creature who was here last night. He sits down and pokes the chocolate ice-cream with a spoon, watching it melt.

"This 'ice-cream' is quite peculiar."

"I-Is it?" No! I shouldn't be conversing with him - it! But he doesn't look dangerous, more like a china doll who could be smashed into pieces just by one punch. He seems fragile. Even though I should be running away I do not run, Homunculus looks lonely not blood thirsty.

"Human children are quite gluttonous with this sickly sweet and even adults enjoy it."

"Well, everyone likes sugar." At my reply he looked up at me and smiled strangely, he still had the sunglasses on, maybe he didn't want to scare me again.

"I wouldn't know, I've never tasted sugar in my life." Homunculus lifts up some of the gloopy substance on the spoon and watched it drip back into the bowl.

"Why don't you eat it and see?"

"Then it would most likely make me ill." The demon stuck his tongue out at this and dropped the spoon with a clatter, turning to face me.

"Haven't you felt the tiniest bit of deja-vu?"

******

_It had been two days since Eike had been through the Hell of insuring Homunculus's creation and all he wanted to do was drink a gallon of tea. He had no idea why but a sudden addiction to the café's tea had come upon him yesterday, he had fought against it but now with money jingling inside his pockets he entered the café. _

"_Could I have a cup of tea, please?" _

"_Certainly, sir." He accepted the drink and went to a free table, immediately drinking from it without caring whether or not he'd burn his mouth. As he was drinking someone bumped into him, causing his tea to spill onto the table._

"_Sorry, Eike." Warm breath brushed against his cheek as the echoed words were said into his ear, a pair of delicate hands placed themselves onto his shoulders._

"_Do you want me to buy you another cup?" Eike did not have to turn around, the sarcastic undertones in the demon's voice proved to him who it was. Homunculus was back to playing with his life again._

_End chapter 1_


	3. Flying Plates

Author Notes: I'm so sorry! I already had 90% of this done weeks ago but I completely forgot about not having it done. Sorry about spending so long not updating, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Read and review please and thanks for reading this.

Disclaimer: Don't own. Shall never own. Please don't sue.

Chapter Two - Flying Crockery

"Déjà vu? Why should I?" This demon is becoming more and more confusing - not to mention interesting - he acts cocky almost all of the time and expects me to have some kind of knowledge of him, very strange indeed.

Homunculus sighs and pushes the bowl away from him, standing up and looking in the direction of the closed store. He pulls out a scrap of paper and pen from his trouser pocket and gracefully writes something down, quickly handing it to me. I accept it reluctantly and look down, it's a mobile phone number. I look up at him, ready to give it back and say 'no thanks' but even with those thought provoking red eyes hidden behind the sunglasses, I'm still unnerved.

"Uh…"

"You should call me tonight if you ever feel the urge to go into that store. There are quite a lot of people who wouldn't mind playing a trick on an unlucky journalist, they're less likely to with me around." He smirked in what I would describe as in an evil way and turned to walk away, looking back at me with one last sentence, "Congratulations on your promotion, Eike-san. I hope we meet again, preferably sooner rather than later." Homunculus walked way, not turning to see me again, even though I stared at him until his small form was too far away.

Bloody unnerving demons…

The moon is up there in the sky, leading men and women astray with her moonlight, but not me, I don't have time to stare up at that hovering ball of cheese and rock. Everyone has left and the only person out on this clear night is myself, just me and the moon waiting outside the disused store.

I didn't call Homunculus, why should I? I can protect myself and I certainly do not want that man hanging around near by, he probably just wants to find someplace to suck my blood (or is that vampires?).

Never mind!

I shouldn't even be thinking about him right now, not while I have work to do. I don't know why he's making me so mad but that smirk of his and that attitude - not to mention his knowledge of my life, even though I hadn't told him anything - infuriated me, but it also reminds me of something or someone… enough of this, Eike. Concentrate! You can wonder about that strange person when you're back inside your own home!

"Time to earn your wage, Eike." I pulled out the key the building's owner had loaned me and unlocked the door, pushing the rotting wood forwards. I expected the place to be covered in dust, the smell of decaying meat and food from long ago wafting towards me but instead it looked… clean. I studied the vase of newly placed lavender on the dusted counter, the flowers soaking in fresh water. A small rucksack hung from a chair and a book rested on a table, everything had been disturbed… I stepped closer to the exit, wondering if this was perhaps a newly acquired den for an escaped convict or child runaways, I should leave quickly in case whoever lives here returns.

_Cu-clang!_

All of a sudden a large ceramic plate was flying at me! I tried to move out of the way but something was keeping me tied to the spot. I closed my eyes, ready for the impact.

"Stop."

I opened my eyes, but I already knew who was standing in front of me.

Homunculus.

The plate was hovering several inches in the air, a red glow surrounding the frozen thing. Homunculus closed his outstretched hand and the object fell to the ground, the ceramic shattering into several large pieces. The demon moved quickly away, almost behind me to create a great distance from the shards. He waited for a few seconds and then went over to a nearby cupboard, pulling out a brush and sweeping them away. As Homunculus did this he began to speak, his tone annoyingly amused.

"You could have at least waited until I had shut down every single trap, I would have welcomed you to my temporary abode soon enough." He stood up and pointed in the direction of the far corner, "There's a chair over there you can bring here if you wish to sit down," he placed the brush back in its place and gracefully jumped onto the side of the counter, crossing his legs as he pulled the sunglasses away from his face, "Hurry up, Eike. You of all people should know my hospitality is fleeting.".

*****

_The cart jumped and tumbled against the various rocks and holes in the earthen road, green scenery passing them. Eike shifted uncomfortably in the Tudor clothing, he sent a half-hearted glare in Homunculus's direction, he of course was not wearing anything different to his usual attire. The man driving the cart looked back at them for a moment, his human ignorance surfacing up on his face as he watched his outlandish passengers, he would be glad to be rid of them on the next stop. _

_What, dear Reader, do you think they are doing?_

_They're going to save the world of course._

******

"So, you're living here?"

"That is correct, Eike." Homunculus closed the open book on the table and slipped it into the rucksack hanging from the chair I was sitting on. He moved back to the counter and started to rearrange the lavender in front of him, a small smile slipped across his face for a moment, it was so fast that it felt as if I had imagined it. My eyes glanced across the room once more, I would have never imagined Homunculus living here but he is. Those balls of light were caused by him to scare inquisitive children away, he even tried to seem helpful just so he could be forewarned when I called him. It's downright creepy considering his stalker-like attitude and his strange questions, the best - alright maybe not best but the easiest - thing to do is to demand information, perhaps…

"I want answers, Homunculus." He smirked at this and looked away for a moment, his elegant - no, no, no! I did not just think that - his spider-like fingers trailing away from the sweet smelling flowers as he spoke. "You would not want to hear those words."

"Try me."

"You're very fun to watch when you get annoyed and confused, did you know that? Of course not, no one else acts like me around you." A small echoed laugh escaped from him and I felt myself wince at the noise, it was all so disturbingly familiar. His red eyes darkened with an emotion I did not know and he stood up, looking down at me, I made to move so that we would both be on our feet but instead his pale hands pushed lightly against me.

"Do you really wish to know, Eike?" Homunculus licked his lips as he waited for my answer, of course I wanted to know! Why else would I ask?

"Yes." I saw his face move closer to me, somehow, despite his seemingly weak body, I was trapped against the chair, and then his lips were upon my own. His eyes sparkled mischievously as the eye-lids closed over them. Even though I barely knew him. Even though he was some kind of spirit or demon, I've no clue which -

It felt nice.

****

_Blood filled orbs stared down into the murky water, a cracked hand which bled neither human blood nor fairy was held inches away from the flowing liquid. If he wasn't careful he'd end up tumbling into the river, not that he cared -_

_Homunculus had always been a good liar when it suited him, even Eike had had trouble sifting the grains of truth from the long pages of lies and half-truths. Homunculus did care about his life, not because he valued it but because some else did._

_Eike Kusch._

_Somehow the irksome man had managed to tunnel his way into his shattered heart and taped up the pieces, but that information would never reach Eike's ears, it would send him away screaming. All that mattered now was using the immortal man to help stop Ku and her human guard dog - really he should have seen this coming, Ku had always enjoyed watching humans suffer even if it was her job, it should have been easy to spot the recurring face that appeared whenever Ku entered this world -._

"_Homunculus!" Ah, Eike. He moved away from the water, covering up the newly appearing wounds on his hand with a black glove and standing up, he looked back at the river with a sigh. _

_It was time to return._

_End Chapter._


	4. Books, Lavender, and Lighters

Author's note: Well, I didn't think I'd get so many reviews for this, though it leaves me in a happy glow now; thank you! Which means you've all booted me up the backside into putting down my DS and writing out the next chapter; hopefully I'll have the next one done soon. Thanks for reading. Reviews are loving, inspirational, kicks.

Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.

Chapter 4 Books, Lavender, and Lighters.

_After the fiasco of saving himself Eike had hoped that the longer he waited, the more he pushed away the images of that day, the memories would burn up into ashes or slither off into the ether. Still, he continued to glance behind his back whenever he was on a darkened street and no one else was there, kept a good distance from fire, and made certain only he touched the food he ate; Eike had fought so hard to survive, it would be a waste to end up dieing, without Homunculus there would be no more second chances._

_Yet in that cafe the demon had been waiting for him. Had specifically spilt his drink just to grab his attention. At first Eike thought there had been another attempt on his life, that Homunculus had come to warn him, but the other shook his head at that question,_

_"No, nobody cares enough to kill you at the moment."_

_"Then why are you here?" Eike's anger was resurfacing. "Came to have a bit of a laugh? The demon world too boring for you?"_

_"The 'Demon World' as you call it is gone."_

_"Wha -? Then shouldn't there be chaos? If that place has vanished... I read that the demons would then have to come here."_

_Once he was safe from the demon's meddling Eike had begun to study the world and magic Homunculus had originated from; books about myths, time travelling, parallel universes, and different planes of existence all went through on his library card at least once. The sulky teenage brunette who worked there always regarded him with a cautious eye whenever he came in; she must have thought he was part of some wacko cult or something._

_"It is unreachable at the moment, when it happened most of the non-human kind that roam there was trapped inside, though of course there are a few ghouls stalking around here." Homunculus chuckled at that and then continued. "I am trapped here. Someone has been tearing the fabric of our realities with a little too much vigour and now the spiritual world that humans have so little contact with is stuck in between the plane of existence and non existence." He paused and thought for a moment. "Just like we were not so long ago; always threatening to wink out of this universe or die. It's on a shaking tight rope and some silly little fool is about to cut the final thread like that guy who kept on killing you."_

_"Which was mainly your fault to begin with." The blonde muttered._

_"Yes, yes." Homunculus waved a tired hand. "You've said this a hundred dozen times. What I'm here for today is not that though."_

_"You want my help in restoring this other world." Eike stated._

_"... Obviously."_

_"Get someone else to do it." The human stood up and left the cafe without looking back._

_If he did then he knew his curiosity would pull him back into Homunculus' problems and plans. Eike had expected the sneaky younger man to follow after him, hissing out his need for him like a snake teasing a mouse closer to its mouth, but the other had remained in the warm, cosy, cafe while Eike was stomping back to his flat in the drizzling rain._

_He felt like a coffee chocolate cake that had someone waving sprinkles over him; if only the rain was as sweet as that._

It was only when Homunculus moved away that if felt as if I could breathe and blink; I probably had an incredibly dumbfounded expression tattooed across my face. The kiss had been a novel being read out to me behind a sheet of ignorant fog; so many feelings battered at my mind as our lips meshed together that it felt as if I was experiencing an entire lifetime or three hundred page story of emotions.

"That's because you were." A dark chuckle.

I glanced at Homunculus and wondered if his words meant he had read my mind. I stayed in the chair as he returned to the vase of lavender; he pulled one of them out and held it to his nose.

"What are you going to report?"

"Hnm? What?" Though the word 'report' made my mind click in my befuddled state I was unable to connect it to anything.

"You said you were going to write an article on this place." Did I? I don't really remember saying it to him. "What will this article say exactly?"

He did not look entirely bothered over the possibility of his existence being revealed, in fact, Homunculus seemed incredibly amused.

"Nothing much. It was only going to be a small piece over the history of the shop and whether or not it was haunted. A pity it was only a bunch of drunken kids causing a disturbance."

His smile deepened at my casual words and the demon - or vampire or whatever he is - returned to my side. Holding out the lavender to me.

"For you?"

"Me?"

"Is there anyone else in here, Eike?"

I took it cautiously and rolled it gently between my finger and thumb; a slight grin tugged at my lips as I regarded his now cool expression.

"If you wanted to make a romantic gesture you should have made it a whole bouquet." I muttered out loud.

When he snickered at this I felt comforted at the noise; he had laughed a day or so ago but his snickers seemed... I don't know... a more common noise to me, perhaps? It sounded more natural coming from him than laughter.

"You should stop watching romantic movies, Eikey dear, they'll make you candy heart brained and doe eyed."

Hey! I don't watch that many... maybe eight a week... but still!

I slipped the lavender into my pocket, looking down to make certain it wasn't about to fall out, and when I looked up again there was Homunculus; leaning down and putting his hand upon my cheek. A part of me hoped for another kiss, another part of me wondered if this was when he would lunge for my neck and suck out my soul and life essence. Instead, he began to whisper,

"Lavender is known to put the wearer in a state of calm; sadness is washed away into a mellow after taste, anger is reined into docile obedience, while memories are given the chance to bloom into a happier feeling."

I swallowed.

"Quit poetic, coming from someone who wires up plates to attack burglars and who sneaks around scaring people all of the time."

Snicker. Snicker.

"Looks are always deceiving. Just as memories are so forgetful."

Did he seem sad then? I wasn't sure. So I leaned over and brushed my lips over his once more; Homunculus pressed back once, my blood quickened its pace, and then he let his hand and mouth draw away. My rushing blood slowed as he schooled his features into that of teasing seriousness.

"Now, up you get." I was pulled up. "It's best if you get home, rest a bit, and just head off to work in the morning. I'll pop up when you need me again. Maybe then you'll have more to add to the conversation."

I still wasn't sure how I found myself outside my flat a few minutes later; it was on the other side of the town.

_"Ku can be vicious when she's trapped."_

_Those words were a reminder in Eike's mind as he chased after the young woman down the Victorian alleyways; his foot trod into something nasty but he continued on._

_The stream of her dirt hair, streaming underneath the trappings of a beret, turned around the corner. His longer legs easily sped up and came closer to reaching the personification of sorrow. She was in arms reach now, the chains on her mini skirt clattering a chorus of dogged determination, and his arms clamped down hard around her; she screamed and struggled at his human strength._

_"Give up, kid, you can't run away anymore."_

_After hearing these words she let out a wail of frustration and slumped down; her resistance shattering._

_Eike let himself relax and then -_

_- her leg and foot snapped up between his legs. _

_He yowled in pain and let go of the brat, who ducked down, dipped her hand into his pocket, and removed the lighter that Eike always used as a reminder as to what has happened to him. Quickly, she flipped the lid off and flicked it on._

_Driving it deep into his hand._

I was rubbing the burn scar on the back of my hand subconsciously, I had no idea how it got there, but I've always assumed was that I had been trapped in a fire, managed to escape, and then from the trauma of it lost my memories.

When I was approached by the girl who worked in the cafe it was the next day and it was still raining slightly. I stood before my workplace and was about to go in. While I was without a brolly she walked past with one depicting a frog; at the sight of me she stopped, smiled in recognition, and twirled the froggie brolly. She was wearing the cafe uniform; did she ever wear anything else?

"Hello, Mr Crazy."

"I'm not..." Obviously my little freak out in the cafe had made me a social pariah in this small town at the moment.

"Mr Kusch, then, you work with a friend of mine." She pointed at the building to add to her words.

"Really? Who?"

"Karoline Underhill."

I think that was the name of the secretary, I wasn't completely certain though, I shrugged a bit and mumbled an affirmation to her claim. I fumbled for my cigarettes.

"Need a light?" The waitress pulled out from her waistcoat a lighter, an old one I guessed, and the sight of this young woman holding out a flaming silver box made me shiver and touch my scar. It reminded me of someone the same age as her; someone vicious and cruel, who could only survive on misery.

I wonder where I got all that from.

She saw something was wrong, immediately flicking the lighter off and stuffing it back into her pocket.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing - I just - " I began.

"Uh, listen, I have to go now; my shift's starting soon."

I think she ran away after saying that; probably thought I was going crazy again. Hopefully I wouldn't be banned from the cafe. This week was crazy enough without being forced to drink just my rank watery tea that I sometimes bought cheap from the shops.

Unfortunately, things were even worse in the office.

Everyone was harassed and rushed off their feet. The Boss looked close to crying as he practically screamed at anyone who went by. Trevelger was sneaking into the toilets every chance he got and a stapler ended up being thrown across the room and out of the window.

I seemed to be the only person in control today; a wave of calm was spinning a web or forming a cocoon inside of me. The lavender Homunculus had given me was threaded through the button hole of my shirt and every time I leant down to write something a whiff of soothing air entered my lungs.

Someone swore again, a ruler was broken over a knee in a fit of rage, and I heard Lena cry a stream of abuse as her computer crashed yet again.

What on earth was happening here?

_Eike, once he realised Homunculus was not following him, had expected the other to be waiting for him at his flat; yet the demon was nowhere to be seen. With a grunt he flopped down onto his unmade bed and picked up one of the books on the floor; flicking through it._

_The author was a Karoline Underhill and it was about mythology, specifically demons and ghosts, it had been the first book on this subject that he had read; ever since then he kept on renting it out just to refresh his memory of all the dangers that lurked out there. He went to the back of the large book and lazily read the final page._

_It was almost as if he was waiting for the china doll man to creep up and snicker in his ear! Eike huffed at this and focused on the words before him; though he wondered what Homunculus had been on about. His curiosity had responded to the prodding the other's words had caused. _

_"Forget it." He sighed. "Just read for a bit."_

_**Demons which feed on emotions - Ku**_

_**Ku uses many names in the different countries they haunt, however, at the date of this publication they prefer this Japanese word which has connections to suffering. Though the word ku means nine when translated, ku is a homophone for suffering which means it is rarely mentioned. Ku **__- _

_It was odd, Eike thought, he could have sworn Genies had been the last entry in this book._

_- __**is a representation of the world's misfortune; they are the cause of it and thrive on earth's misery. 'They', for Ku has no true gender, appears to humans as a young woman to lure in a human consort; who would then be forced to go through every terrible thing in their life. It is believed that if Ku was unable to obtain a consort then 'she' would most likely unleash her hunger on everyone in this world. Her survival relies on feeding on melancholy. **_

_**Wherever Ku goes sadness, anger, and a painful remembrance of memories would instil themselves inside of humans if she ever walked among them once more.**_

_**Underhill's author's note - **_

_**(This entry has been written by the demon expert Homunculus. Who dedicates his entries to Eike Kusch."**_

_"Well, Hell."_

End chapter.


	5. Lisbeth Q

Disclaimer - Don't own. Don't sue.

Author's note - Thanks for all the lovely reviews. They're greatly appreciated.

Chapter 5 - Lisbeth Q

_Eike gritted his teeth in exasperation, though there was a smile creeping up at the other's sneaky move, Homunculus must have used the Digipad to travel back and put in his own entries. He probably zapped off a second after the blonde had left the cafe. _

_Now, where could the demon be? Spinning up another trap for the immortal human?_

_"You can come out now, Homunculus."_

_Eike's room was what someone living in it would call 'cosy' to mask how little it was; there was a typewriter at the end of the camp bed, a radio in the corner, and a wardrobe next to the door leading off into the matchbox sized bathroom. The wardrobe opened with a tired moan and a pale hand reached out to push it further open; Eike had to stop himself from mentioning that Homunculus was 'coming out of the closet'._

_"Hah, hah, Eike." Was the sarcastic mutter he got from the other. Ah well, it looked like Eike didn't have to say anything out loud at all._

_The smaller of the two sat down on the bed with the blonde and leant against one of Eike's long legs._

_"Do you understand what I wrote?"_

_The human dropped the book back onto the floor and shrugged; knowing he was probably going to be mocked as usual._

_"Well, basically, you're saying this... Ku woman is going around feeding off of misery and because of this she's managed to break the fabric of the demon world."_

_"She got greedy." Homunculus replied. "We only started to notice problems when some of the weaker Djinns wasted away and died from a never ending melancholy."_

_"That can happen?" It sounded impossible to Eike; how could someone die from just being sad?_

_"Do you not watch romantic dramas?" Homunculus questioned. "Where the boyfriend or girlfriend dies and the person left behind becomes sick with the pain of losing them? The body gives up. Ku was finding the lesser demons and attacking their weak points."_

_"Their heart." Eike glanced over at Homunculus and wondered if the man besides him had a heart and emotions as well; it was hard to believe a being so cruel could have one. Yet the other was able to snicker and sneer, smile sincerely too._

_Perhaps he should watch those romantic films to get a better understanding of this 'heart sickness'._

_"I left the other dimension when her influence began to reach spiritual entities the same level as I, then - " Homunculus clicked his finger. "That world blinked out of existence, then back to life, until it was flashing back and forth into both states and unreachable -"_

_"You really need my help, don't you?" Eike interrupted, a smug smirk on his face._

_The demon's lips pursed,_

_"I need a human; you're just one of the few who don't want to kill me."_

_"Unless you start being sarcy again, then I'll have the urge to strangle you all of the time."_

_"Don't ask me to be untrue to myself, dear."_

_Eike's eyebrows rose up comically and Homunculus stopped himself from rolling off the bed in a fit of laughter._

_At least he had help now._

I saw Karoline Underhill, the secretary, coming towards the desk halfway into this hellish day. I tried to look busy in the hope that she'd walk away; considering everyone was in a mood I didn't want to have a row with this woman of all people. Trelweger I can handle, I just didn't know much about Ms Underhill to begin with; she might be crazy for all I know.

"Kusch." Damn. She sounded aggravated so I looked up nervously and tried smiling at her.

Her frown didn't drop.

"Yeah?"

"There didn't happen to be a girl hanging around outside? Eighteen - nineteen years old?"

"The girl from the cafe?" I was obviously right when I assumed the secretary was Karoline Underhill then.

"Yeah, Lisbeth, so she was here?"

"Not really." I mean, it didn't look as if she was waiting outside the journalism building. "I think Lisbeth was just passing and we got chatting."

"Oh, anything interesting?" Karoline leaned against the desk and finally awarded herself with a small smirk; her earlier ferocious appearance pouring out into something more neutral.

"Just that she knew you."

"That's nice."

She got off the desk, just as I was considering poking her with my pen to get her up, her tone becoming bored. Karoline patted my arm.

"The boss is looking for you by the way."

I glanced at the office that I always had to walk past, the boss had stormed off to the vending machine an hour ago, he was probably slipping more nicotine patches on thighs; a sight I unhappily stumbled upon when walking into the men's toilets for a whiz and a quick chuckle over the messages people had left on the wall.

"He's not in the office -"

"I don't mean _him _it's the boss boss who wants to see you."

The one who gave me the promotion.

Karoline pointed to where the entrance hall sat in a grumpy welcome to everyone who visited; I could see the figure of a person. I assumed they were a woman because of how short they were; though they were too far away to really tell. I thanked Karoline and stood up to make my way over to the entrance.

As I walked past the sprawl of messy desks and coffee cups my eyes lowered, in an absent minded daydream, I suppose, and I let the strong sweet smell of the lavender overwhelm my senses. I could still feel the warmth of Karoline's hand on my arm but I could also feel other sensations on my body; as if my body was remembering a memory from long ago.

Something brushed my legs. Breath ghosted against my ear.

Yet there was nothing there.

_Night had fallen far too quickly and so they were forced to do this; though Eike had been tempted to kick the other onto the floor. Compassion made him refrain however, he even let Homunculus have most of the covers, and the pillows._

_Their legs had tangled together in the night somehow and the human had his arm wrapped around the smaller man; it reminded him of a child holding its dearly beloved doll tightly to himself. With a sigh he relinquished his grasp and turned around, not noticing Homunculus' smirk dropping as his source of warmth moved away -_

I shook my head, wondering where these feelings were coming from, I've slept in the same bed as other people before when I had been late on the rent and needed a place to stay but I had no idea where this had taken place. The guy next to me in the memory had looked like that demon!

Though I wouldn't mind sharing a bed with him-

Let's get back onto topic. I must be away with the demons today - I mean faeries - I need to stop reading those occult books all of the time.

"Hey -" I was about to say more to the almighty boss but then snakes of a different emotion bloomed inside of me. I blushed as snapshots of images invaded my mind.

_- His hand was cupping the back of Homunculus' head, fingers playing with the silken locks, and his tongue played with the corners of the other's mouth. A hand rubbed the back of his neck while canines just a little sharper than his nipped at his lower lip. -_

"Hello, sir." I swallowed. Ignoring my thoughts.

I had changed my opinion on this person's gender, their back was turned to me, but their body was far too angular and small hipped. He wore a leather coat, which looked a little girly, with silver spray paint streaking the tails, and a cap the colour of vermillion.

_- Eike's jacket had suddenly flown into the corner; he guessed it was Homunculus' tricks again. He was still struggling with the complicated buttons on his little amber eyed love's leather coat. It was amusing the demon greatly, making the passionate mood cheerful._

_"That's the way it should be." Homunculus murmured as he undid the human's ponytail. -_

The man was muttering into a mobile and as I approached, my cheeks blushing heavily, he switched the phone off; turning around to face me. He smirked and waved.

Bloody Homunculus...

_"What about this?" Eike began, leaning forward in the plastic chair, it was splattered with paint and blood. "We could start up a paranormal magazine, and then, when each issue is released a copy gets sent to the Digipad. If something related to Ku or Lisbeth Quentin appears then we can dial in the time and investigate it."_

_Homunculus was sniffing the tea Eike was drinking, as usual, though he could not eat or drink he seemed to have a cat like obsession with smells. Ice cream and lavender being his favourites. He hmmed for a moment and nodded,_

_"It's seems the best course of action, love, but who will we hire?"_

_"Failed authors, people just getting into the writing scene, anyone who has a passion for finding stuff out. I know a lot of people in this area who fit the criteria."_

_Little did they know that fifty years after creation that the magazine Lunar would descend into a trashy gossip magazine._

_Or that one memory less Eike Kusch, the creator, would be working there for a minimal wage._

_It was on that day, as Homunculus was sorting out the business aspect of Lunar, that he saw Lisbeth Quentin in her little cafe Yon. To everyone in the area she was always known as Lisbeth Q; nobody knew who began it. She looked young yet there was a melancholy around her that spoke of a much older personality; the name Lisbeth wasn't really youthful among the Rockys and Katies that visited her cafe yet the elegant name was juxtaposed with that one letter after it. It sounded punky to everyone who heard the sharp 'Q'._

_They always thought she was a weird one though._

_Eike could see her through the kitchen window, she stood before it mixing something in a bowl, and she was staring ahead, straight through him, while tears stained her face and dripped into her batch of confections. Like an April shower. She didn't notice. Didn't care. He thought she hadn't even realised she was crying._

After I saw Homunculus in the Lunar offices I knew everything was going to Hell when the tea and cupcakes in cafe Yon began making people cry as they ate them.

Her misery was spreading again.


End file.
